Chased By Wolves
by bettertoburnout
Summary: Beca x Chloe; Beca and Chloe are blissfully in love and are enjoying the summer months at Barden. But when a figure from Chloe's past shows up unexpectedly with dark threats, can the girls make it through in one piece? (multichapter, from a prompt)
1. Chapter 1

_I was running. Fuck, why didn't I think to bring my phone? I didn't think I'd be out for long, that's why. Stupid. My breath already ragged and burning in my chest, I rounded yet another corner, this time faced with a dead-end and a sinking feeling in my stomach. Shit! Where was I meant to go now? There were a few soggy looking boxes piled up by the end of the alley and I struggled to think of a way to use those to climb up onto the fire escape that was suspended over my head, too far for me to reach by jumping. It was also too far to reach even standing on the flimsy looking boxes. Not for the first time, I cursed my height. It was too late to run back. I knew that I'd just run straight into him. I had nowhere to go. This was it; I knew I had to stand my ground. I turned so that the wall was at my back, and facing the narrow alley entrance, I let my breath fall back into a regular rhythm as I waited for him. Footsteps, slow and deliberate began to echo off the walls around me, creating a reverberating rhythm that tugged at my brain. _

_"Beca. Thanks for waiting, I almost lost you back there. Now, how about we talk this over, hmm,?" Closer, closer, too close. I tried to stand confidently, betrayed by my trembling hands and the fear I knew shone in my eyes. He grinned, bearing his teeth like some feral animal. Like a wolf who having cornered his defenseless prey takes his time and great pleasure in killing it slowly. Torturing it just to hear the screams, just to feel the warm blood on his snout. On his hands. I tried to fight back, I really did, but at the last moment, when I knew that it was all over, I looked up at the tiny rectangle of night sky and shed a single tear as I whispered her name. _

_Chloe._

x

It began on a lingering summer's evening at Barden University. I'd been dating Chloe for about a month now, and was still blissfully content with the relationship. We lay sprawled on the quad in one of the remaining shards of warm sunlight that dotted the grass, limbs entangled and fingers intertwined, altogether being disgustingly adorable. There were still a lot of exams yet to come, and so we were virtually alone outside at this hour, being part of the lucky minority with early exams. I nuzzled into her neck, causing her to hum and tighten her grip on my hands. I couldn't remember a time when I was happier than this. I sighed, my hot breath on Chloe's neck causing her to giggle and lift my face up to hers. She moved her lips to mine with familiar eagerness, now met with my own similar enthusiasm, and lost me in a kiss so sweet that I was left reeling when she drew back, smiling broadly.

"Beca, I have something I want to say to you, but I don't want it to be too early or anything..." She bit her lip, cheeks a delicate shade of pink. My breath caught in my throat and I felt my eyes grow wide. She squeezed her own eyes shut.

"Okay, I'm just gonna do it but promise you won't freak out?" She opened her eyes again and her crystal blue irises bore into mine. I felt like she was digging an alcove into my soul. I nodded tensely, nervous all of a sudden. She drew a deep breath.

"I love you Beca." I was stunned. She really loved me?! I'd been afraid to admit to the ever-growing strength of my feelings for fear that it wouldn't be reciprocated, but now I had confirmation and I didn't hesitate to reply.

"I love you too Chloe." Her mouth parted slightly in awe as I moved in to kiss her again, this time conveying a deep passion that caused her to gasp and smile into my mouth. We remained locked in a deep kiss for what felt like hours before making our way back to Chloe and Aubrey's shared room, giggling and punch-drunk on happiness. As we crashed in through the door, already kissing, I heard Aubrey groan and get up to leave.

"Honestly, you two again? Fine, I wanted an excuse to stay over at Mark's house anyway. See you at rehearsals tomorrow, don't be late!" She hurried past us through the door, closing it firmly behind her and we grinned and fell onto the bed, hands already moving across each other's bodies hungrily. Chloe kissed and sucked at my neck as I began working at the buttons of her shirt when we heard a firm knock on the door. We ignored it, and I stripped Chloe of her shirt, running my eyes and hands over her delicate stomach. She writhed underneath my touch and a small moan escaped her lips. Another knock, louder this time, rattled the door. I sighed. Chloe gazed up at me lovingly.

"You see who it is Becs." I got up from my position of straddling her hips and moved to unlock and open the door. I was met with a surly chiseled male face, framed with jagged black hair. He was standing aggressively right in the door frame, already squaring up to me. He looked too old to go here, and I'd never seen him around campus before now.

"Where's Chloe?" His voice was gruff and blunt. I shook my head.

"Sorry, come back tomorrow, yeah? She's busy." He stepped even closer, narrowing his eyes to glare down at me.

"Says who? She'll have time for me. Just tell her James is here." I head a small gasp behind me, and evidently so did he as he tried to force his way past me.

"I knew she was here, Chloe babe, it's me! I've come back for you!" I struggled to bar his entrance with my small frame.

"Okay, I don't know who you are but she's not interested okay? She's spoken for." I stepped back and tried to close the door, only to find his foot jamming it almost immediately.

"Oh yeah? Tell me who he is, I want to have a word with him then." I smirked, looking him up and down. His broad shoulders were tensed, and his hands curling and uncurling into fists.

"Uh, that'd be me actually." His eyes widened and his brow furrowed.

"You? You think you can take my Chloe?" He leant down to be at eye level with me, his face invasively close to mine.

"Back off dyke, she loves me and we're destined to be together. You'd best leave before I give you the pain you deserve." He moved back and spat at my feet. I laughed incredulously.

"Seriously? Okay dude, whatever thing you might have had with her in the past, it's over now, she's with me and that's it. You should leave before I call campus security to kick you out." I tried again to close the door and staggered forwards when he suddenly withdrew his foot.

"I'm coming back for her, you hear? You might want to consider packing your filthy lesbian things and leaving before then or I'm actually gonna kick your ass. I'm not afraid to hit a girl, especially not a dyke like you." He grinned maliciously and I slammed the door in his face, fuming. Chloe was already up and by my side, a hand on my shoulder. I turned to search her eyes.

"Who the hell was that?" She grimaced, glancing at the door then back to me.

"I probably should have told you about this before but I honestly thought I'd never have to see him again..." She trailed off, biting her lip. "Here, sit down, it's kind of a long story."


	2. Chapter 2

x -Chloe- x

"When I was 15, this guy moved to my high school from Canada. He was pretty good-looking, and I remember all my friends being obsessed with him. All the girls were really. He was mysterious and hot, what more does a teenage girl want? I personally didn't really have much time for boys, even then, so I didn't think much of it when he started sitting with me at lunch and walking home with me. We hung out a lot, and I thought that we were just friends, but one day he tried to kiss me and I realised. When I told him that I wasn't interested he got really defensive and just couldn't accept it. It ended up getting really bad - my parents had to get a restraining order on him because he wouldn't leave me alone. He was 3 years older than me anyway so he was only at school for a year, and it all seemed to die down after that. I heard that he moved back to Canada, I had no idea he was here, or that he'd try to find me again... I can't believe it! How could he?!" I knew that I was shaking now, but Beca just frowned and stroked my back fondly.

"So," She started, clearing her throat and shifting her feet nervously. "You're saying that he's a crazed stalker and he probably would actually beat me up if he could?" She looked genuinely worried at the prospect. I pulled her into a tight embrace.

"We're not going to let that happen baby, I promise." She felt so small right now.

"Yeah, and I'm gonna protect you from him too Chlo, I swear if that bastard even touches you his balls are hitting the roof." I laughed at the thought, and she joined in after a few seconds. When she trailed off I felt her pull back slightly, and released my arms from around her shoulderblades. She raised her face to mine so that our noses were touching and gazed into my eyes.

"I meant what I said earlier, I really love you Chloe and we're gonna be okay." I smiled now and kissed her lightly on the lips. She grinned as I pulled her on top of me, falling backwards onto the bed. She brushed the hair from my face and kissed me again, rekindling the passion and lust from earlier. We lost ourselves in love that night. In a burning daze, we enveloped our souls in harmony and happiness, and when in the morning I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was the first of the light falling gently on Beca's peaceful face I knew that she was all I ever wanted, and I never wanted to let her go.

x

The next few days passed without incident, and I completely forgot the encounter with James. I was just too happy. Beca and I were now inseparable, and this was particularly evident during Bella rehearsals, which lead to teasing from the other girls.

"Hey red, mind helping someone other than Beca with the dance moves? Much as we all love watching you two groping each other some of us are struggling to move their limbs in time with the music at all, let alone in a coordinated routine." chuckled Fat Amy one rehearsal, after trying and failing to do a full spin in one of the dances and falling flat on her butt. Beca and I rolled our eyes simultaneously as we helped her back up. Truthfully Amy was right, I was only spending so much time helping Beca with the dance because I wanted to be close to her, and so I left her to it for the rest of the rehearsal. However, despite the additional attention she was still having a little trouble with a couple of moves, and this didn't go unnoticed.

"Looks like Beca was distracted earlier, huh? You guys are gonna have to have a special one-on-one session later!" Stacie drawled, causing the others to burst into laughter, and Beca to blush furiously, suppressing her own giggles. It was all fairly lighthearted, and I smiled along with the taunting.

"Again!" barked Aubrey, clapping her hands, impatient as always. As we fell back into our starting positions to run through the song again, I glanced over at the doorway at the back and noticed a tall, shadowy figure leaning in the doorframe, and I could see green eyes focused on me. It was James. I gasped sharply, causing a few of the girls to turn round to look at me, and I quickly covered it up with a cough. What was he doing here? Well, okay, I knew exactly what he was here for, but how did he find me at the rehearsal? My mind racing, I almost tripped over Cynthia-Rose during the dance. As I righted myself, Fat Amy barreled into me, knocking me and several others to the ground.

"Okay, stop, stop! Chloe! What's gotten into you?" Aubrey strode over and yanked me up by the arm. I could still feel those burning green eyes watching me as I dusted myself off and bit my lip anxiously.

"Sorry, Bree, I've just remembered something that I need to take care of. Is it okay if I leave early?" Aubrey searched my eyes for a moment, her frown melting when she saw that I was genuinely upset about something.

"Okay, fine." She turned back to the others. "As for the rest of you, time for some more cardio! Come on, let's go!" she yelled as she started leading them in a run around the hall. I walked quickly towards where James was standing, and saw him slip into the room beyond to remain hidden. I didn't notice Beca glancing over and following. I walked quickly into the next room and was caught by a pair of muscular arms that drew me into a tight embrace.

"Chloe! Babe, I've missed you. Have you missed me?" God, I hated his voice. It put me on edge, even now, and brought all those memories flooding back.

"James." I managed to extract myself from his hug, and backed away a few paces. "I don't know what you think you're doing here, but I'm not interested, okay? You met my girlfriend. I'm in love with her, not you. You need to leave." I watched his eyes darken with every word, and his hands tighten into fists at his sides. His brow furrowed, a look of genuine innocence passing across his face.

"What did I do?" He sounded like a whiny kid.

"Well without even mentioning the way you abused me all those years ago, can you maybe just consider that it's just that i'm not interested? At all? Like how much clearer do you need me to be; I'm in love with someone else." I held his gaze, determined to see this out before it got any worse. He glared at me, shaking his head.

"But I know you, Chloe, you'd not fall for a girl, not you. You're not like that. You're a good girl." At this, he stepped forward, once again closing the gap between us, and reached up to try to stroke my face. I caught his arm mid air, and he looked down at my hand restraining his, confusion evident in his expression. Suddenly, it was anger, and he threw off my hand and using the same arm, pushed me back into the wall. He pressed his body against mine to hold me there and restrained my arms with one hand, curling the other into a fist.

"Don't you dare defy me. You're a slut! How could you go with her instead of me?! You're a fucking whore!" I squeezed my eyes shut as I saw him draw his arm back, ready to punch me in the face. Brace yourself. But the punch never came. I opened my eyes just in time to see someone catch his arm from behind. He spun round to meet someone else's punch, square on the jaw. A second follow-up blow landed on his nose, causing him to grunt in pain and stagger back a few paces, clutching his face. I stared in awe as Beca grimaced at her bloody knuckles, then moved in to square up to James again.

"Do I need to do that again or are you gonna leave this time?" She sounded confident and determined, although knowing her so well I detected undertones that betrayed to me her real fear. She stood her ground as James stared her down, breathing heavily through his nose.

"You're gonna regret that you bitch." He dabbed at his nose, noticing blood and growling as he swiped it away.

"Whatever." Beca turned as if to walk away, and winked at me. With that, I realised that she was bluffing, and as he made as though to grab her, she spun back to face him and used to momentum to deliver a forceful kick to his groin. He drew a sharp breath, and clutching himself, fell to the floor, groaning.

"That's what I thought. Now kindly fuck off, unless you'd like me to do that again?" Beca stood over him, laughing when he only grunted in response, still cradling his bruised manhood. She walked over to where I was still pressed up against the wall, trembling.

"Chloe, honey, are you alright? Did he hurt you?" She looked at me with such concern that I couldn't help but smile back adoringly.

"No, I'm okay, thanks to you." I grabbed her hand, the one not bloodied by the punches.

"Let's get out of here." She nodded, and we exited through the back together and out onto the quad.

x -Beca- x

Back in my room, Chloe insisted on examining my hand. Kimmy Jin was out, and so she made a show of kissing each knuckle better after having washed the blood and torn skin away, and helped bandage it up.

"I'm fine, honestly Chloe, you don't need to make such a fuss." She looked up at me, shocked.

"Beca, after what you did for me how could I not!" She leant in, hands moving to caress my sides lovingly. "Besides, in case you'd forgotten, I happen to love you and want to do everything in my power to look after you." I sighed.

"Yeah, that's why I did that, see. I can't believe it worked. I was so scared, but when I saw him shoving you up against that wall something inside of me just... exploded." A small smile crept onto my face. "It was very satisfying getting to do that to him." She giggled.

"You were amazing, Beca. I can't believe you did that for me, you're the bravest person I know!" She pulled me into a tight hug and I inhaled deeply, comforted by the familiar scent of her skin.

"Hopefully that's the last we'll see of him, anyway." I nodded, a grin already in place.

"Well he knows what he's dealing with now!" I closed my eyes, feeling a fresh wave of feeling fall over me. "I love you Chloe." I didn't think her smile could be any wider.

"I love you too Beca."

Outside, in the dark of the rapidly falling night, a figure stood watching the girls through the dorm window. As they fell back onto the bed, captured in a passionate kiss, he tensed. But then he smiled. They thought it was over. They thought it was over, but it would take more than a kick in the nuts from some tiny lesbian to stop him. He was more determined than ever, and now the element of surprise was on his side. He had a plan.

A smile flashed in the darkness.

He had a plan.

**AN: Sorry it's quite fast-paced, let me know if you think it's going too fast. I have a tendency to do that for some reason :') anyway, the next chapter will be with you as soon as I can come up with something good enough, so until then ~**


	3. Chapter 3

_There was a pain in my side. Well, that was the source of the pain at least, the epicentre of the earthquake that was wracking my whole body, shaking my bones relentlessly. My head felt so heavy. Had it always been that heavy? I couldn't even move it an inch to either side, let alone lift it. Following the same train of thought, I attempted to move a hand. Nothing. Well that's not scary, I just can't move at all. Was I restrained? I didn't remember being tied down at any rate, and for what it was worth I couldn't seem to feel any kind of restraints on my limbs or head. I couldn't open my eyes either. It must have something to do with the pain. I felt so weak. Even breathing seemed a laborious task, and I had moments in which I struggled to even draw the smallest breath. Where was I? What had happened? I realised that I was probably dying. Oh. Great. I don't know how long I lay there contemplating my situation, but soon I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. If this was it then I wanted my last thoughts to be of her. Chloe. I repeated her name in my head like a mantra, pictured her face and felt a single tear escape from the prison that my eye had become. Chloe. Her face faded into darkness, and I followed. _

x -Beca- x

Weeks passed in a whirlwind of summer emotions. The days seemed long and endless, each one becoming its own encapsulated universe in which a million things were done and a million emotions came and went, and each one was punctuated with each glimpse of her face. I'd never seen her looking so stunning. There's something about seeing someone that you love in a threatening situation that just gives you fresh eyes with which to look upon their surviving form; I appreciated anew just how lucky I was to have her, in any capacity. As a friend, she was steadfast and caring, and as my partner she simply made me complete. I understand now why it is that opposites attract; she was everything that I lacked. She was perpetually cheerful and kind, constant and comforting, happy and warm, open-minded and above all, she was herself and now I could better see why we were so drawn to each other, even from the start. When we lay wrapped in each other's arms in bed at night, I marveled at the ease with which her arms locked loosely around my waist and shoulders, and the fact that my head fit perfectly into the crook of her neck. She breathed life into my walled up soul. She was the much-needed warm summer rain that awakened the garden within me. Seeds of hope, change and love bloomed under her beaming smile, and all I could think over and over again was how lucky I was to have her.

And so we remained, untouched beauty in its purest form, for weeks on end. I don't know why things had to change, but I guess sometimes things happen and you can't do anything to stop them. Things have to to change eventually, even if it's just the seasons. And so things changed. Chloe had to visit her parents for a week, and I was staying at the university, so we had to survive a week apart. Watching her taxi pull away was hard. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but a week then seemed like years and I instantly felt the physical ache of separation. I didn't feel like myself anymore, not with half of me missing. I sighed a lot and went back to spending hours on end in isolation, mixing song after lonely song. Each mix reverberated with my longing, and as I watched them pile up I sighed some more.

It was two nights before Chloe was due to return that I decided to take a late-night walk around campus. I had just finished a particularly emotional skype conversation with her, and I needed to get some air and think. I left my phone on my bed, confident that I wouldn't need it in the 15 minutes I planned to be out for. I slipped on a hoodie and my vans and left the dorm room, soon breathing in the cool night air appreciatively. I wandered out around the back buildings, preferring the stillness of the uninhabited area to the parts of campus that still betrayed human presence. That was my second mistake. My first was not bringing my phone. My third was reacting slowly when a hand loomed out of the darkness beside me and clamped onto my shoulder. All too slowly, I turned in time to see a fist swinging towards my face. I didn't get time to duck. It hit me square on the jaw, and I felt something crack, hearing it seconds later echoing off the trees. I grunted and fell to the floor, my hand already cradling my face. I scrambled back up as the shadowy figure moved a leg to kick me, and as it followed me stumbling backward into comparatively better lighting, i recognised the chiseled jaw and angry green glare. James. I wasn't too surprised at that point. I straightened up, returning his glare.

"Okay," I coughed, and spat a little blood onto the back of my hand. "I guess I deserved that slightly, can we just be even now? I don't want any trouble man, just leave me and Chloe alone, okay?" He smirked, and cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah, see the funny thing is that I don't actually want to leave her alone, and I guess if you're gonna keep getting in the way, well, I'm just gonna have to remove you somehow, aren't I?" He chuckled darkly, stepping closer, the shadows throwing themselves across his face only serving to make him look more menacing. I took another step back, hands raised.

"Listen, just hear me out okay? She doesn't love you, and you can't make her love you. You can't force someone to just suddenly feel that way about you. You had your chance to show her that you were worth her heart and you hurt her. That was a long time ago, and now she's given her heart to me and I'm sure as hell gonna fucking protect it from dickheads like you who think that they can just walk back into her life and beat her into submission. What the fuck man. Just leave." He growled, and I cocked my head. "Do I have to ask you again? Or would you like a bit of persuading?" I raised an eyebrow. I was faking confidence, trying to pretend that I knew what I was doing, but really my heart was pounding a double-time beat in my ears, and my palms were sweating profusely. He blinked as though momentarily thrown off by my sudden confidence, and then shook his head, his smile broadening.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm alright. In fact, I'm so grateful for our last encounter, I think I'd like to repay you for your kind lesson." He reached into his pocket, and my blood went cold. If he had a gun, I was already dead. I wouldn't be able to escape a bullet, and he'd be able to get a good shot whilst I was trying to get out of range. I tightened my fists as he withdrew his hand, now clasping something small and metallic. Well, thank god it wasn't a gun. And then I glanced up and saw the hint of madness in his eyes, and upon hearing a loud 'click' looked back down to see a wicked looking switchblade pointing at me. Fuck. I started taking more steps backwards, and he lunged forward, trying to grab me. I dodged his hand and turned, beginning to run in the direction of the main buildings. I didn't realise he could move so fast. Suddenly, he was in front of me, blocking my path, and I had to swing to the left, back towards the darkness of the trees. My breath loud in my ears like crashing waves, I remembered a series of alleyways that connected this back part of the campus to the nearby streets. The entrance was around here somewhere, and I scanned the area with increasing urgency as I ran, all the while hearing him close on my heels. My chest was tightening with each breath now, and I was tiring. I cursed my laziness, but also knew that it was the countless hours of cardio at Bella rehearsals that had kept me going thus far. The adrenaline was still shooting through me, allowing me to bypass the burning in my legs and lungs and keep running, and I forced myself to think of who I was running for. Chloe. I kept going, relief washing over me when I spotted the narrow entrance to the alleys, and I made straight for it. I heard James growl behind me, as if he realised that I had an actual chance of escaping, and I doubled my speed. The contrast between the open grass area and the closed alleyways was startling. My thundering footsteps echoed off every surface, making the space feel even closer, and with every turn I felt like I was getting more and more lost. It was at this point that I realised that I may have made my fourth mistake. It was all very well traversing the series of nondescript alleys in the daytime with a group of friends, but in the dark now, with fear on my heels and a knife getting ever closer to my back, I was completely lost. I turned corner after corner, and with each new corner I got less and less hopeful, knowing that my chances of escape were decreasing rapidly with each turn. And then, I hit it. The dead end. This was it. I was dead and this was the end. Literally.

_I struggled to figure out a way to escape, but saw none. There was no way I could go forward, back or up. I had to stand my ground. I had to fight. He crept towards me like a lithe predatory beast, a grin on his crazed face, insanity in his eyes, and I did my best. My punches were strong and well aimed, but this was a man possessed, and I didn't stand a chance._

He took his time driving the blade deep into my abdomen, pulling it back out with equal vigor. He thrust the blade into me several more times before letting go of my now limp body, letting me fall in a heap at his feet. The blood was already pooling around me, and I tried in vain to cover the worst of the wounds with my shaking hands. He laughed, and I saw real madness in his blood-spattered face. He turned to leave, and then I was alone.

Chloe.

_Chloe. _


	4. Chapter 4

x -Chloe- x

The week spent at my parent's house felt like an eternity. I couldn't recall ever feeling quite so trapped, and I just ached to be in Beca's arms again. I took to spending a lot of time alone, and this didn't go unnoticed by my parents who were more accustomed to my talkative nature.

"Chloe, honey, is everything okay? You've been quiet these past few days." I sighed, turning to return my mother's worried gaze. I hadn't yet decided if I was ready to break the news to them about my new girlfriend, but at that moment I was pretty fed up and decided, why not, screw it.

"Mum... I have a girlfriend. And I love her." I watched my mother's face first betray confusion, and then soften. I continued, "I guess I just really miss her. Like, a lot." I sighed, and she got up and hugged me tightly.

"Oh, well I'm so glad that you've found someone that you love Chloe, it's a shame that you're feeling the separation so much though." I nodded glumly. 2 more days to go.

x -Beca- x

Something stirred within me. A sudden burst of energy, adrenaline once again coursing noticeably through my veins, jolting my limbs into life. I didn't question it. My eyes, suddenly no longer heavy-lidded, flew open, and I began to drag my screaming body towards the entrance to the alleyway. I don't know how I did it. I could feel my body shutting down, my life leaking out from the gaping wounds in my sides, and yet something forced me forwards, inch by agonising inch. I don't know how I made it far enough. You know, I had been one more corner away from safety. I was out on the street now, and in the light of warm streetlamps, flickering and casting an orange glow over the empty pavements. I coughed, and saw blood. Oh god. I came to a stop, feeling my energy surge leaving me again, and I began to succumb to the darkness once more. Then, I heard a shout, and panicked footsteps. A hand rested lightly on my arm, and I heard someone franticly trying to talk to me, to elicit any kind of response. But my energy was gone for good now, and it was all I could do to keep breathing with the weight of oxygen in my lungs threatening to crush my weekend body. I don't remember waiting for the ambulance, I just remember being hauled into a brighter space, hooked up to beeping machines and wires, and faces that I didn't know swam in and out of focus and blackness as we sped through the night. I don't remember transferring from the ambulance into the hospital, but I found myself pinned to a bed, with people looming over me. I tried to lash out, to escape, but I was trapped. By what? What was happening to me? I heard a voice, grim and weary.

"She just recently updated her file with a new contact number, her girlfriend. Call her in." Chloe. I needed to hang on until she got here, and then everything would be okay. The commotion around me continued and I could only rerun the fading images of myself and the woman that I loved over and over in my head on some demented loop. Chloe.

x -Chloe- x

I was curled up in a wicker chair out on the porch of my parents house, taking in the crisp night breeze as I became more and more engrossed with the novel clutched in my hands. I'd probably been there for hours, and it was getting chilly, but I was too absorbed with the fictional universe that I was holding to notice, or to care. And then the peaceful silence was shattered by the ringing of my mobile. I huffed and dug it out of my pocket. It was a number I didn't recognise, and I put the phone to my ear tentatively, noticing that it was 2am. Who would be calling me now?

"Hello?" A soothing voice responded.

"Hello, is this Chloe Beale?" I swallowed, feeling fear pricking at my skin.

"Yes, I'm Chloe. Who is this?" I heard someone coughing in the background, and the woman cleared her throat.

"I'm a receptionist at St Joseph's Hospital. I'm so terribly sorry to have to tell you this, but your girlfriend, Beca Mitchell, has been brought in with major injuries. We need you to come in right away if possible." I felt myself going into shock, my hands grasping at nothing as I choked on words.

"I... I, I'll be there as soon as possible." I vaguely heard her thank me and hang up over the ringing in my ears, and I stumbled into the darkened house. I woke my parents in a daze, and they bundled me into the car, my mum driving. We drove quickly and arrived in under 20 minutes. Before the car had completely stopped, I threw the door open and sprinted into the gleaming white reception area, quickly demanding to be taken to her. The receptionist must have recognised my voice, for she quickly came out from behind the desk and lead me off through the corridors.

"Suffered several deep stab wounds... Lost a lot of blood already... She's still in a critical condition... theatre will take her shortly..." Each sentence felt like a stab wound of my own, and I felt light-headed as we finally rounded a corner and I saw her. She was as pale as the sheets draped loosely across her prone form, and smaller than ever. She was hooked up to a million drips and machines, and I struggled to get close enough to her. I just wanted our bodies to melt together again, as they had only days ago. I managed to choke out words through my sobs.

"Beca...Beca honey, it's me, Chloe. I'm here Beca. I love you." She remained unresponsive, and I continued to weep into my hands. I couldn't lose her. Not now. Not ever.

x -Beca- x

_I was sitting in a room with nothing on the walls, nothing on the floor. Just plain white, and the furniture was all made up of similar pristine white blocks. I didn't question my surroundings. I felt at peace here, and I smiled faintly as a familiar sweet scent filled my nostrils. Wasn't that Chloe's favourite perfume? I broke out of my reverie, and stood, starting to search for her, growing more and more desperate when I couldn't find her. And then a voice reached my ears, and I stopped in my tracks. _

_"Beca...Beca honey, it's me Chloe. I'm here Beca. I love you." Where was she? She said she was here, so why couldn't I see her? Puzzled, I started as I felt the ghost of a touch on my right hand. An echo of fingertips trailing across salt-stained skin. And then, something that dragged me up and out of the water; "Wake up Beca. I need you to wake up." _

x -Chloe- x

I sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair beside her bed, one hand clutching Beca's and the other tracing the contours of her skin lightly. I whimpered as a fresh wave of emotion hit. My parents were waiting outside, allowing me to spend the time alone with Beca, and so I let my feelings take over.

"Wake up Beca," I whispered, my voice strained. "I need you to wake up." And all of a sudden, one of the machines beside her began to scream and nurses came running. Her eyes flew open and her gaze locked straight on to me. She tried to speak, but then she was coughing and choking, and more doctors were surrounding her, pushing me back, asking me to step away. A nurse came to my side and gently tried to take me outside as they began to work on Beca's shuddering body, but I shook my head violently and pushed my way back over to her bedside.

"Beca, I'm here, i'm here, it's okay I promise. You're going to be okay!" I saw wild terror in her eyes as she tried and failed to draw breath. I felt like my heart was being torn out of my chest as I watch her skin change shades with each passing moment. The doctors bustled and yelled, but I could only see her face, fixed into a grimace. And then, she formed hoarse words.

"Chloe... Chloe I love you..." I reached out and gripped her hand, fingers digging into her palm, gritting my teeth against the tears that I felt pushing their way towards the front of my eyes.

"You're going to be okay baby." She shook her head, giving me a small, sad smile.

"No... no i'm not. You have... you have to let me go Chloe. I'm sorry because... I was gonnna marry... I'm sorry this has to be goodb-" a piercing beep. One continuous note drilling into my skull. Where was the rhythm of her heart? I screamed as the doctors started to shake their heads, pulling back.

"NO!" I grabbed one by the sleeve, pulled him back. "You have to do something! You can't let her die! I love her!" I couldn't stop screaming. No, this wasn't happening. Please. This couldn't be happening. I looked up. She was lying there but I saw nothing in her empty eyes. Oh god. Oh god.

_she didn't even get to finish saying goodbye. _

**A/N; Please don't kill me for breaking your hearts! I couldn't see any other way for this to go, and I've written to many happy substance-less endings recently so I guess there had to come a point where something like this happened. I nearly cried writing this, so my deepest apologies. There will be an epilogue.**


	5. Epilogue

**Epilogue.**

3 years on, I still ache for her as much as I did that night by her bedside. The pain is duller now, yes, but still present. I guess I've just learnt to cope with it. To cover it up with memories, like sleeves pulled over scars. I still cry at night when I think of her face. I still burn with regret when I think of how we spent our last nights apart.

Shortly after Beca's death, police arrested James, who was caught trying to break into my dorm room back at Barden. He's serving a life behind bars, but even that knowledge has never been enough to stop the pain. To stop the longing. I crave her body pressed perfectly into mine, I need to once again feel her lips on my collarbones, her fingers tracing my spine as I bury my face into her hair and breathe in the scent of home. But that can never happen again, and that thought kills me every day. She said, as she was dying, that she was going to marry me. Now, every time I pass a wedding or a bridal shop, see a couple get engaged or a girl show off her brand new diamond ring, I feel sick to my core. How could I do what she asked and let her go? How could I move on when I was still in love with a ghost? I see her face in everything I do, I hear her echoed in my own words and when I fall asleep at night I can almost feel her arms around me. Almost. If I had a chance to go back, what would I change? Everything. I'd never have left her alone, I'd have told someone about James, I'd have forced the doctors to keep going. I think these same thoughts every day, and I know in reality that nothing could possibly have made a difference, but I torture myself with them anyway. Maybe one day my spark will return, but I feel like I lost it with Beca. I lost all of my love, my heart, because I gave it to her and she's gone. I guess now I realise how true it is that we don't ever fully appreciate what we have until it's gone. Remember that.


End file.
